Love Struck Delusion
Chapter 266 - A one man show.
Raptor's POV.
G.U.N was looking to me for the answer. What I would say to this problem. Ask me this question years ago and I'd be the first person in line to help kill Hecan Moore. Now as an old man I discovered the ability to look passed the shit and all the politics. Now I'm working with my enemy and for once in my life I felt something different. All the people in this besides my friends were all G.U.N and I can say for sure that there is barely a difference between what we felt as rebels and what they feel as they find out their leader is in trouble. The same drive my men had for me, Hecan's had for him. In moments after Pierce had asked me for my opinion, I replied.
"Plan A and C are both last resort options. They guarantee Hecan and Linnen both end up dead. Archer will kill them if he catches wind of an incoming invading force entering his land…...and we can't afford to lose either of them. Plan B is the only option that gives them a chance of seeing tomorrow. But we need to be safe about the setup. There need to be men in place. Or at least, signaled when it was time for intervention. I can breach the capital and surely find both of them. Wherever they are. Without too much trouble. That I can promise everyone."
"That's a huge risk. If we lose you we might as well lose everything. The city would have no choice but to fall." Pierce stated as I nodded and replied.
"It's not going to fall. I know what I'm doing. The plan was the same before they got captured. The plan will still work. This just adds on some side objectives for me to consider when I fly in over the radar."
"You serious?" Pierce questioned as I nodded and replied.
"The plan is the same. I can locate your president and acting commander and get them to safety. Then I can deal with Archer. I'd just need some time to work with. Depending on how close we can get to the capital, I'll need at least an hour to get them out. Give me that or even two hours and then we can send everyone in. Archer will think he has the upper hand and once he sees you coming; he'll try to pull the trigger on the two guys that left just minutes prior."
The room went silent as I sat back and waited for a confirmation. Pierce took his time but when ready looked to some of his men to ask.
"How long would it take for everyone to get ready?"
My eyes went to his men as they replied in separation.
"Ground forces can be ready within an hour."
"The armor division would need at least half day."
"Air support as well sir."
"Hmmm." Pierce grumbled as I asked around the room.
"How long till we can get a plane in the air and an accurate assessment of where'd they be able to drop me?"
The same officer who mentioned air support replied.
"Depends on the plane sir. We only have cargo birds in stock for flybys. Their too loud and a helicopter armed to the teeth would look like a good reason to blow the operation before it even started."
"I can supply a plane you can use Voltz." My eyes looked back at the door where Zandro was standing between Zeta and Pepper. Looking me over closely and stepping a foot closer to the table he stated.
"I have access to some pretty good hardware. More than enough to give you a fighting chance if you're going in solo. The plane itself can be here within a few hours."
"Are you sure?" I asked him as he nodded and smiled.
"Absolutely."
Nodding my head, I urged him shortly after.
"Make the call then. Pierce?"
"Yes sir?" He replied as I asked as my next concern.
"Any idea how to extract them? If I get the chance, I'm getting them away from the capital before the fighting starts."
His eyes went back to Zandro who informed me.
"The plane dropping you off can get to you in the city. It's as quiet as a light whistle. Or it can meet you outside the city. But the best bet would be to do the pick up inside. Going through the border isn't gonna go smooth."
Nodding my head I then ordered Zandro.
"Whoever is in charge of piloting your ride I want on comms. I need to be able to contact them."
"Not a problem." He replied as I nodded and looked back to Pierce to urge him.
"Start getting everyone to work. We're moving out tonight. How long would it take to fly there in your bird?" I asked Zandro as he kept his smile on to reply.
"One hour tops."
"Then I want another hour to do my business Pierce. Can we make it happen?"
Looking to his men he replied.
"I don't know. Can we?"
Every man and or woman in the room got in sync to respond.
"Yes sir!"
Smiling somewhat, Pierce then gave the order.
"Start assembling your teams. I want this all done by midnight. Dismissed!"
The room quickly flooded outward. Once left with Pierce and his men, Juper said to me with a small smile on his face.
"We should get you dressed up. We got a show to put on."
Nodding my head I replied.
"That we do."
Zeta's POV, Eight hours later, Pakistan Airport.
This was really happening. Raptor was being the dumb fuck my sister always discribed him as and was getting ready to put his life on the line for the G.U.N acting president, and the man who got his family killed. It was a storybook. Every bone in my body was shaking and filled with this nervous arua as Pepper, Cody, and Peek were waiting with me by the G.U.N humvee we drove in on. Raptor was with Zandro and Pierce, while Roz managed to get his men here from Iraq to join the event. I had no clue what this plan was like, but I knew it was crazy. Raptor going in alone? He's a great soldier, but his odds are in the negatives of doing this by himself. Yet like always he told me not to worry and ordered me to relax over here till everything was ready to go.
Butterflies covered my stomach as Zandro's plane had been here for well over six hours. This thing was no joke. It looked like a UH-60 that G.U.N used. But it was heavily modified. I couldn't think of what material they used to plate it up. It looked like the same armor Raptor had back when I first met him.
"Zeta!"
My eyes shifted to the right where Raptor was. He was getting his armor set in place and Juper was putting together the weapon he requested. I left everyone to go over there the second he was clearly urging me to come. Once there I got a good look at the guns Juper was working on. It was much like the helicopter they were going to use. A heavily modified M4. Fresh out of the box it looked like, and more attachments on it then I had makeup. Next to that was Cody's MP7 which too was kitted for stealth. With Raptor tightening up on his vest, he said to me.
"We're wheels up in two and a half hours. Everyone is ready to go. I'm gonna be leaving in five. I need you to promise me you'll take care of your sister if something happens. Molly too."
I felt my heart snapping and replied.
"You can't say that kind of thing to me right now. I'm already pulling enough hair out. Just shut your mouth and go do this. We'll all be here when you get back."
"It's just in case." He told me as I nodded and tried to calm down.
"I love you." His words got me to look back up at him. He had the warmest smile on as he watched my face go limp. I was calming down as he said it and he knew it. All I could do was reply.
"I love you too."
Zandro cut himself in right after that to urge Raptor who had just finished up with his vest.
"Make sure you set your comms to channel seven. That will be the one that links you up with the pilot. Channel eight will be us. Keep everyone updated and if there just so happens to be a problem, we'll get moving out early. It's gonna take the assaulting force two hours to reach you once you give them the all clear. You hear me?"
Raptor nodded and as he did Juper turned to hand him both the guns. The MP7 hung down to his right side and his hands took control over the rifle. Once ready, he checked the safeties and ordered Pierce.
"Timer starts once I get dropped. If all goes to plan you can start moving everyone over once I get Hecan and Linnen to extraction. Okay?"
"I got your back." Pierce told him as Juper urged him going forward.
"Good luck man. I don't know what else to say."
Smiling Raptor replied.
"Say nothing. This shit ends now."
Juper nodded and from there I watched as Raptor turned to leave with Zandro. Before he could get away from me; I jumped forward and took him into a hug. I felt his hands wrap around my back as I whispered into his ear.
"Come back to me please. Alive."
"I will." He whispered back as he patted my face with his left hand. Getting me to smile, I let him go and watched as him and the echidna made a break for the chopper. All I could do was watch as Raptor jumped on board. For a moment I felt at a loss. His armor had been replaced with G.U.N. The patch and everything. All black. It felt weird seeing him wear it.
Raptor's POV.
"Raptor, this man here is going to be your lifeline for the night."
Zandro was introducing me to his pilot. Fort Drake operator and all. The only one who was able to come see us on such short notice. A little younger than myself, hedgehog. Pure white and had more than a few scars scattered along the right side of his face. At first I expected him to be a little more serious, but that all went out the window when he reached out to offer his hand and question.
"My name is Esma. Lucky for you I'm your pilot for this trip into a warzone. Welcome aboard. I hear I'm dropping you off inside the city above the radar. Grab yourself a seat and one of the few chutes I have on board and get ready for an insertion."
I shook his hand briefly, but quickly found my seat shortly after. Once I had myself strapped in, he was ordered by Zandro who stood right outside the door.
"Do us proud, Esma."
"Roger that boss!" He shouted as he shut the door on him and muttered.
"This is a shit idea. Dropping one guy in like this. I hope you know what you're doing."
"I do. Trust me." I urged him as I checked my weapons.
The hedgehog chuckled and began to throw some switches. The helicopter was soon starting up and in about a minute I felt us leave the ground. Once on our way, the pilot Esma looked back at me to announce.
"We'll be there in about 45 mins. Sleep, read a book, call your loved ones, I don't care. Just handle whatever business you got left man cause once this happens you more then likely aren't coming back."
"You have such a high level of belief in me." I told him as he quickly snickered and replied.
"Just being real with you. I mean what do you expect? Your who to my boss? Some grunt? You G.U.N?"
"No. You were closer to the grunt part." I stated as he again snickered. Sensing he was a tad annoyed I urged him.
"How about you focus on getting me where I need to be and when you do that then I'll tell you who the fuck I am and just why you should have more respect. Scumbag."
"Fun fact. This bird has an auto pilot. Wana see what happens when I let this thing fly itself? Cause I can come back there if you want." Esma warned me as I took his threat in to reply.
"You come back here Esma and I'll throw your ass out the back. Shut your mouth and fly."
"Man I don't get paid enough to listen to this shit. Keep your mouth moving and you won't have a ride back. If you somehow managed to do anything other then get your ass shot."
Esma was getting to his end with my shit. Just as much as I was of his. Yet I don't care who you are. I don't take shit from anyone. Looking back at the hedgehog, I said back to the man.
"You don't know shit about who I am or what I do. Right now here is how I see this going. Your boss needs me. You probably don't even know why because you're a scumbag and he knows it. Knows you'd do something stuipd if you knew anything other than your job. I'm sure I can get away with piloting this thing. After all I wana see what it does on auto pilot. What do you think about that idea?"
Esma was looking me dead in the eyes. Placing down my M4 and showing him my hands I urged him with a smile.
"Come on then."
His seatbelt clicked out of the lock and as he got up; he said to me with anger boiling in his head.
"You have no clue who your fucking with. Get up."
Slowly I stood up and to no surprise he went to swing. I had no fear of this prick. My powers would kindly put him in his place.
Five minutes later.
"Ughhhh!" Esma's head slammed off the wall of the chopper for the fourth time. I had beaten him into the ground and never did he stand a chance. Not a successful strike landed and not a word spoken since I broke his jaw. The hedgehog fell over to begin crawling to the back door of the plane. He turned over as I hit the switch and slowly began to lower the ramp. Nothing but fear took over from there as I walked till I was on top of him. Once there I slammed down my right fist into the side of his head and shouted as his skull bounced off the metal floor.
"You wana know something?! Let's call it a fun fact!"
Esma had his eyes opened so wide as I grabbed him by the neck.
"I've thrown a man out of a chopper before! Ever since then I've wanted to do it again! Who would I have thought I'd have gotten a second chance!? Come on!"
The hedgehog scrambled to stay on the deck as I dragged him to the very edge of the ramp. Keeping a strong hold over his windpipes, I leaned him out of the back by his head and asked him as I debated whether or not to let go.
"Ready?!"
"Wait! Holy fucking shit! Stop! Stop! Stop please!"
I smiled but kept him there outside the ramp as he begged me.
"Don't let me go! For the love of god!"
"Why shouldn't I?!" I asked him as he quickly screamed.
"Because I was wrong! And I'm fucking sorry! I'm so very sorry! I was out of line!"
Nodding my head, I loosened up on my fingers and replied.
"Not good enough."
Esma lost his shit when I let go of his neck and pushed him out further. His body scrambled to lean up towards me in hopes of grabbing anything, and just as his butt slipped off the ramp, I reached forward and grabbed him by the foot. His whole body dangled below the ramp and I listened very closely as he screamed as hard as he could from the fear.
"Jesus fucking Christ! Don't let go! Please don't let go! I don't wana die!"
"Why shouldn't I?!" I asked him as he screamed back.
"Because I'm fucking sorry! You sadistic son of a bitch! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Pull me back in! Please! I'm begging you! Motherfucker!"
I gave him some time out there. Surprisingly as I let it happen I began to see some of his quills plucking off from the air speed hitting him. After a few seconds, I pulled up and slowly brought him back on board. The moment his knees hit the deck, the hedgehog leaped as hard as he could towards me. Then he rolled and crawled as fast as he could to a seat to begin hyperventilating. I gave him another smile and closed the ramp as I did it. The man couldn't speak; his heart was racing so fast. Once the ramp was shut, I walked back over to him. Instantly he began to jump away, till he was pinned in a corner. Once trapped he begged me.
"Stay the fuck back! Don't fucking touch me! What are you!?"
"Your boss!" I replied as his eyes widened and his mouth had shut. His mind went so blank it was clear as day as he stared at me. Leaning in to push him by the chest, his body slammed into the corner and I shouted in anger.
"I'm your boss! You don't even know it yet!"
"What are you talking about!?" He asked me back as I kindly didn't try to hurt him further. Once ready I replied.
"Zandro is merging Fort Drake with the soon to be middle eastern armed forces! It's a deal that guarantees him and all his men government immunity! You understand!? You're merging with me! My army! My country! So next time you decide to fuck around and doubt, you best keep it to yourself because I do not and will not tolerate any of your shit! Have I made myself clear!?"
"Yes sir!" He replied in fear as I grabbed him by the neck and pulled him out of his corner to order.
"Get back to flying!"
Esma stumbled over on his way back to the pilot's seat. However once he strapped back in he said to me again.
"I'm sorry!"
"Just pick me up and consider your apology accepted."
Esma nodded his head very quickly while at the same time wiping his mouth off of some of the blood that was leaving it. Taking back my M4, I let out an annoyed sigh and readied myself for an actual fight.
"Hopefully my last."
mT Shadow.